HELENA Jerry McConnell, one of two Libertarian candidates on the U.S. Senate ballot in Montana this year, said Thursday hell be withdrawing from the race.

The Missoula businessman said he didnt feel he could make much of an impact as a Libertarian candidate, so the campaign wasnt worth the expense.

I didnt want to put myself in the position of just stealing votes from somebody else, he said.

McConnell said hell send his formal withdrawal papers to the secretary of states office on Friday.

McConnell has been one of two Libertarians on the U.S. Senate ballot, which pits U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., against U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. The other Libertarian, Dan Cox of Hamilton, remains in the race.

Earlier this spring, Secretary of State Linda McCulloch ruled that the two Libertarians would not have a primary election to choose a single candidate and instead both remain on the general election ballot in November.

Now, with McConnells withdrawal, his name will be removed from the November ballot, leaving only Rehberg, Tester and Cox.

McConnell, who described himself as a very conservative individual, said he initially chose to get into the race because hes frustrated by what he sees happening in Congress and that running as a Libertarian seemed like the only option.

I didnt see anyone stepping up to be anything else than just another politician in Washington, D.C., he said.

Yet he said Thursday that he didnt feel he could do much better than prior Libertarian candidates in Montana, who seldom poll more than a few percentage points.

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Missoula Libertarian to withdraw from U.S. Senate race